Page 79 of Rather: The Therapist

It had taken me three days to take note of the car sitting in the garage. Nevertheless, I was in love with the sleek, black model. The motor purred as I tapped the gas, speeding down the winding path leading to the expressway.

Lucky Daye made my stomach turn with his addictive voice singing so pleasantly about hearing his woman making the fucking sound.

Ugh.

I smashed the large display screen with the tip of my index finger, immediately ready to hear the next song. To my dismay, Chris Brown claimed to not give a fuck about the man his lover had, promising to pull her hair and beat it right now.

Ugggh!

Sexual frustration threatened my sanity as I pushed the screen again for the next song. Comfortable was next on the list, putting my mind and body at ease with only the first line. I fought to maintain control of the visions in my head. Kofi’s handsome face brought a smile to mine.

Though he was rough around the edges and lived life on the ledge, I wasn’t opposed to the idea of us. Not because I wanted things to work, but because they had to or I’d live a life of misery and that wasn’t happening on my watch. I’d been in worse situations and made the best of them. This one wouldn’t be much different.

My survival skills went far beyond that of the average woman, because I was far from average. No one I entertained or kept company with was average. Even the thought of anything regular was repulsive.

Comfortable was followed by Long Nights, an unofficial classic by 6lack. For the rest of the ride, more pleasantries served as background music as I floored the gas in pursuit of The Mansion.

With one foot in front of the other, I marched up the stairs with a martini in hand. Confronting Priest didn’t require liquid courage. Avoiding his advances did. In the last ten minutes, I’d learned my year-long residency balance had been settled and restarted the following year. For the entire two years I was away, he’d kept my tab paid and my suite in pristine condition.

I waited.

His words in the hall began to resonate more. And, the box in my hand felt pointless. However, there was a life outside of these walls we were both involved in and whatever had happened prior to that discovery simply couldn’t happen again.

No matter how much it melted my heart to learn he’d, in fact, waited for me. No matter how much I missed his girth plunging into my canal. No matter how good he made me feel. No matter how much pressure he relieved. No matter how ideal his arms were after a busy day. No matter how much I wanted to get back to him after going away.

The truth was, I wasn’t his to have anymore. At any capacity. I was taken. Reserved. In-waiting. I was promised to another man. That man happened to be his brother. And, he’d played a huge part in our arrangement. In my opinion, this was all his fault. He was the reason whatever we had we couldn’t have anymore.

Standing in front of his door, I tipped the glass and finished the drink. As a tray full of champagne passed me by, I sat it on top of it. Sighing deeply, I stared at the numbers I remembered better than any I’d ever been tasked with logging into my memory. We’d spent two short nights tangled in each other’s limbs, but they felt like half a lifetime.

My knuckles rested against the door, softly. At the very last second, I decided against knocking. Instead, I twisted the knob, somehow figuring it wasn’t locked and I was free to enter.

The door swung open. As the path illuminated with the light from his suite, I stepped in with my chest expanded and my head high. My breath hiked in my chest.

Unlike the two times before when I’d entered his suite, there wasn’t a mask covering his features. Priest stood on all ten toes with his arms folded across his chest and one hand pulling at the hair on his chin. He was in deep thought and not even my presence had interrupted him.

I’d bet any amount of money those thoughts surrounded me, just like his presence surrounded me. Consumed me. I chastised myself for the thoughts beginning to circulate. As quickly as they came, I pushed them aside and remembered the task at hand.

I shoved the parcel in his direction, shutting the door behind me simultaneously. Instead of taking it, he turned and retrieved his drink.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

And then a fourth.

His steps were calculated. Concise. He neared me, the smell of his cologne overpowering my arousal. I was thankful for the aroma, because mine was aggressive, seeking satisfaction.

In one swift motion, he removed the red mask from my face, revealing features he’d gotten acquainted with over two family dinners and a brief moment of privacy in the hall. Priest didn’t stop in stride. He continued in the other direction, leaving me breathless. As he walked deeper into the suite, he pulled at my heartstrings, demanding I follow him without a single word spoken.

“Why aren’t you dressed, Rose?” He tossed over his shoulder.

Though he hadn’t truly shown it, I sensed his aggravation. I’d ruined whatever fantasy in that big head of his.

Good.

“Because, I’m not here to soften your dick, Priest. I’m here as a courtesy. Here to let you know that whatever this was between us, whatever we’ve been waiting for, whatever we’ve been yearning for… it ends tonight. Right here. Right now. Things have changed. The stakes are high. And, I have a duty to uphold. My brother has never asked anything of us. Nothing.”

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